Golden
by AxJfan
Summary: There was a stranger behind his eyes. While he was chained, screaming without the aid of his mouth, the man took the shape of his body, gained the hue of his skin, and stared down at him with contemptuous golden eyes. (Revamp of Golden Eyes) A/J
1. Prologue: Candlelit Confessions

**I am back!** It's been far too long guys, and even now I'm note one hundred percent satisfied with this first chapter. It'll take me a little while to get into the swing of things, but I am very excited to be back and writing. I left the old version of "Golden Eyes" up for comparison, and for all of you that loved it. But know that document is discontinued. The new "Golden Eyes" is right here, with no OCs at all, and is much better for it. Expect a much faster paced story to tell, way less filler, and continued romanticism and danger!

Thank you for sticking with me.

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**Prologue: Candlelit Confession**

**Alexis POV  
**

Black was a great color for eavesdropping. We were small in our mourning. The sky was dark, but it held Jaden's gaze like a meteor shower. Jesse was otherwise entranced, staring into our friend's face with hunched shoulders. Neither of them had duel disks, but every so often one of them would nod to an unseen friend.

They were the only two on the roof tonight. Everyone else was down at the Obelisk dorms, sending paper boats and candles into the lake for their passing graduate. I could almost make out the orange glow from the top step, and felt my fists tremble for it. Syrus brushed against my leg as he sat down, holding himself tight. His courage to confront Jaden was gone.

"Jay," Jesse began, touching his arm. "I didn't know this Zane guy, but I thought you two used to be close."

I expected Jaden to shrug him off, look away, and behave like he had to us since the start of this year. Instead he turned towards the transfer, lowered his head, and tucked his chin into his knees. He muttered into his pants, and Jesse looked up towards the sky.

My black dress was too tight. I hadn't worn it since Atticus' disappearance, and I had grown too fast. The fabric constricted my chest. The straps cut my shoulders. I couldn't breathe in this confinement. Zane's funeral was draped over our shoulders, embodied in our clothing.

I took a step, and Syrus' hand caught my hem. I could see the electric scars running down his wrists, just under the Bio-Band. My own reflected in his glasses, light and faded. They were nothing compared to the seared flesh on Jaden's wrists, the look on his face when he saw Zane's empty bed after waking. Those were permanent.

Jesse was still, staring up into the clouds. "What's Neo Space like?"

Jaden uncurled and blinked at him. "What?"

"Kuriboh says you met the Neospacians in a different world, right?" Jesse expanded. "It made me think that maybe Rainbow Dragon's out there somewhere, too."

"The Neo Spacians are different," Jaden explained. "I drew them for Kaiba Corp when I was a kid. They got designed and sent into space as a contest."

"Really?" Jesse gasped. "That's amazing, Jay! How old were you?"

The Slifer shrugged. "Dunno. Five or six? I've got a bad memory—I can't really remember being a little kid."

I could tell by the slant of his shoulders that Jesse was grinning. The European had roundabout methods, but those few sentences were the most I'd heard Jaden say since the questioning. Even then, he had only muttered out that Zane challenged him to duel because the Pro was looking for the last "Ultimate Opponent" before his heart gave out. According to him, Zane had taken Syrus and I as bait to make sure Jaden gave his all. The older duelist had wanted to see Jaden at his best and worst in the last fight. The game had been short and brutal. Syrus and I passed out three turns before Jaden finished it—we had been sparred the sight of Zane's defeat. I bet there was something of it in Jaden right now.

"Me either," Jesse said. "It's kinda blurry before I met the Gem Beasts, you know? It's hard to remember life without them. What did that for you? Winged Kuriboh?"

Jaden was quiet. His head bent upwards, towards the flickering orange lights over the water, the black night reflected in its depths. "I'm not sure. I think I forgot that, too."

I never knew he could sound so bitter. Jesse hummed in disappointment, and the two returned to their shared silence. Jaden turned to look at him, his eyes caught in the spotlights dotting the roofs.

"Well, you'd do well to remember this." Jesse sucked in his cheeks, dimpling his thoughts. He kept his gaze skyward, relaxed his shoulders, and leaned into the sturdy roofing with soft lips. "Ruby sensed something a lot worse than a heart attack in that arena, and it was coming from you, Jaden. I know you didn't mean whatever happened, and it's eating at you. You can always talk to me about it, I've got your back."

The first stars cropped into the sky. Tiny flickers of light embodied the two, searing the image in my retinas. This was beyond important, a memory I would never forget, a stolen moment between two people I would never understand, would always remember.

Jaden stared at Jesse. His spine snapped straight and back, curving away from the transfer. The Obelisk didn't flinch or acknowledge Jaden, only added, "Just between us."

"I'm not ready to talk about it," Jaden cautioned. He looked ready to bolt. I pressed Syrus into the wall, horribly aware that his escape route was our hiding place. Jesse would press him; Jaden would flare up, make an excuse, or flat out run. We'd be in sight the moment he turned to face us, and we'd all be caught red handed. I tensed.

Jesse looked at him, smile soft. "Okay."

Jaden was in a half-crouch when he heard. Caught, he froze on his hands and knees, mouth slightly open. A cattish grin flashed on Jesse's face and he chuckled, slugging Jaden on the shoulder so our friend toppled down. "What, leaving so soon? Come on, we're friends. I trust you."

It was the first time I'd see Jaden smile in days. It flashed across his face like a comet, sparking color in his brown eyes and hair, his sunny skin and spirit. Then it fizzled out, and his relief turned into a question, bit back by his teeth and tongue.

"Jesse?" The transfer nodded, and Jaden steeled himself. He closed his face and voice, delivering shaky breaths with shaking shoulders. Syrus and I leaned forward, heads dangerously visible over the lip of the stairs.

"I… I can't remember what happened right," Jaden said. He tipped forward, grasping at thoughts with his hands. "I keep misremembering things, and half the time I'm not even sure I was the one dueling. When I think about it, sometimes the monsters aren't even mine, but I still… I know them. I think I'm going crazy."

Jesse opened his mouth, but Jaden was quick to snap it shut, "Don't tell me I'm not. Don't say it's normal because I got electrocuted, or I'm in shock or something. I'm completely serious, something's wrong with me."

"I couldn't go to the funeral, and I can't go now," Jaden turned away, voice burning, "because I killed Zane."

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**So how did you like it?** Right off the bat I'm changing a lot from the old story. I've realized that all of the OCs are unnecessary. I can tell the same story much more efficiently without them! And for those of you who liked the love triangle, no need to worry. It still exists.


	2. Behind Closed Doors

**Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh! GX.  
**

**That took longer than expected to get out. The rest shouldn't take this long! I have a goal of writing at least 500 words per day, and the chapters are roughly around 2,500 words. So hopefully that means I'll get an update every week! Onto the story!  
**

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**Chapter One**

**Alexis POV**

The year had started out normal enough. A new teacher, a handful of odd transfer students, a few Bio-Bands, and no one had tried to take over the world yet. The only mishap involved Jaden and a fever, which had him pouting in the infirmary for three days, thermometer in mouth, arms crossed. He had recovered with only owl eyes to show for it, created an impregnable bond with the new transfer Jesse Anderson, and then got into a duel that killed Zane Truesdale.

Now he was blaming himself for it. That was all I knew, because Syrus had bolted after the candlelit confession. I chased him down to the Slifer Dorms, cursing as my heels sunk into the damp earth. My dress strained against my legs, and I prayed it wouldn't be the next one to fall apart on me.

Syrus slammed the door when I climbed up the last step. I rested my head against his door. His sobs rang clear behind the thin walls. My forehead knocked once, twice against the old wood. It smelled of cedar, and the spice that was undeniably Jaden. "Syrus, open up."

He wailed in response. Sighing, I dried my sweaty hands on my dress and fondled the knob. It was too much to hope that he hadn't locked it, and I settled with leaning against it instead. "Fine, I won't come in. Just talk to me instead."

More sobbing.

"Syrus, you know Jaden didn't mean he murdered Zane," I insisted, aware of the many other doors and thin walls. Nothing stirred in the Slifer dorms, and I rested easy. Several students were probably on the prowl for duels, hoping to gain rank through the Bio-Bands, or were still honoring Zane by the lake.

A sniffle. "How do you know that?"

I stopped myself from scoffing at the question. Didn't Syrus remember what happened in our second year? Jaden didn't handle failing well, he fell apart and disappeared for a week to Neo Space or Ra knows where. He always shouldered our expectations without compliant, thrived on them even, and now they had tumbled down his back. His best friend's brother was dead because of the duel they had, never mind that the shocks would have killed him no matter what the outcome was. "I just do. And if you're Jaden's best friend, you do too."

Shuffling. He cracked the door and I shoved my way inside, closing it firmly behind me. He hovered uncertainly by the frame, wiping his face. "I know. It's just… hard. How do you do it, Alexis?"

I rubbed my arms. The room was colder than outside. "How do I do what?"

He gestured erratically in my direction. "You and Zane were closer than we were. And you're just… fine."

It was hard to pretend that didn't sting. I was far from fine. My dress was suffocating me, my shoes were killing my feet, and my heart had been cold stopped for three days now. There was nothing fine about me, this situation, and any memories Zane and I had. The nights by the lighthouse were a lifetime away, and the face my brother made when he heard the news was blurry around the edges.

"It's easy to lay my feelings down with him," I responded, closing my eyes. We settled into a shared silence, each mourning in our own way. "You should talk to Jaden."

"No," he said. I looked at him then, without the shadow of his brother. He seemed smaller somehow. "Jaden won't talk to me."

"He's your best friend," I began, dreading the way he looked at me. Everyone knew that position was sliding from his grasp to the European transfer student.

"I think you should talk to him," he whispered, interested in his shoes again. His feet shuffled and he played with the hem of his suit. "You pay close attention to him. You get him better."

I kept myself perfectly still. "What does that mean?"

He shrank back and I instantly regretted the hostility. Mumbling to the floorboards, he explained, "Well, you're a girl. Um, it might be easier for him to talk to you. Woman's intuition and the softer sex and all that?"

His cheeks were stained with the evidence. I felt myself sink into the desk chair, holding my aching head. "Is it that obvious?" He nodded, and I actually groaned.

"I don't think he's noticed," Syrus backtracked. "Jaden's oblivious to this kind of stuff. But I mean… he's gentler with you. And you're still close to Zane without being, you know, his littler brother."

I held my head high, denying the blush in my cheeks. "Fine. I'll just wait here until he comes back."

Syrus looked momentarily panicked at the thought of having a girl stay the night. The expression was so normal I almost smiled. "Wait, he's probably not gonna come back, he's with Jesse, right? You should check there first. Then you can stay here."

Fighting to keep my face straight, I agreed and added, "If he's not there, then is it ok if I crash in one of the beds? I could use some rest."

His petrified face kept my spirits level as I left the dorms and headed towards the lake, lit with my dead friend's memories.

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**3rd Person POV**

Of all the new things to hit Duel Academy this year, Jaden considered Jesse Anderson the best. Professor Viper was even stricter than Crowler, the Bio Bands were tugging at the scars from Zane's electric collars, and he hadn't quite buried the hatchet with Axel for dangling Syrus over the cliff. But Jesse had accepted his confession without judgment, waited for the rest of it pour out of him, and then offered him a room to crash in tonight when the thought of facing Syrus was too much.

"So it only happens when you sleep?" Jesse pointed out, closing his door behind them.

Jaden looked around the Obelisk dorm in a daze. The layout was slightly different from what he remembered from first year. Jesse had tucked the queen bed into the corner of the room and muscled the couch to the far wall, beside the balcony windows. Various packs of cards were scattered below it on the rug, and he had both end tables settled around them. His duel disk was placed carefully atop the closest one to the door, and Ruby mewled on the other. It was the first time Jaden realized how small his own room was.

"I thought they were just dreams," he answered. He wandered over to the couch and collapsed on it, resting his neck on the armrest. His temples pounded. "But I heard it—him before everything went fuzzy. It felt like I was dreaming, but I just _know_. My monsters were real. That attack killed Zane."

"Can you remember which monster it was?" Jesse asked. He was fishing through his closet for pajamas. He tossed Jaden a pair of gym sweats and shooed the Slifer off the couch. "No way Jay, we've been over this. You get the bed."

It took Jaden a moment to answer. The entire conversation felt oddly casual, as if solving murders was a typical Saturday conversation for the pair. "I can't remember."

Jesse blew out a sigh. "Can't be helped I guess. I'm going to change, then we can talk more, alright?"

The European wandered into the bathroom and closed the door, leaving Jaden to his thoughts. His wrists were throbbing. The shock collars had left them permanently scarred, and had damaged Zane's heart beyond repair. But it hadn't killed Zane, that monster had. His head pounded, and the shadows flickered around the room. He had really done it. He had killed a friend, accident or not.

He pressed his palms into his eyes, blinding them to the pain. Cards slipped under his feet as he stumbled to the balcony and pressed his forehead against it. The night soothed his wounds, and he braved peeking down. The floor was dotted with orange lights, remnants from Zane's candlelit ceremony. He could hear Jesse brushing his teeth in the other room.

His hands found his deck and shuffled through each card, anything to keep the darkness at bay. Winged Kuriboh was his first draw. The little fuzzball cooed worriedly, but stayed in his card. A smile worked at the corners of Jaden's mouth, but he moved on. Neos. Burstinatrix. Pot of Greed. Sparkman. Polymerization.

The moonlight caught the last card. He set his deck down on an end table and held it higher. Frowning, he rocked it back and forth, watching the shadows play across the card. Under the light, it looks different, darker that what he was used to. Then again, everything was changing now.

He unlatched the balcony windows and stepped into the night, gazing up at the clandestine sky. The sapphire comet that had been trapped in their orbit since the day of his birth shone like a second moon. He smiled under the light, holding the new card in his hands tightly against the wind.

"What are you doing out there?"

He turned back towards the room and saw the Gem Beast Bearer peeking curiously through the blue curtains. There was hesitancy in the foreigner's steps as he approached, and he kept his emerald eyes locked ahead. He should have heard the news by now, or at least the Elemental Heroes should have tipped him off.

It wasn't every day a prince was betrothed in the Dark World. Playing coy, Jaden hid his smile with the card and asked, "Isn't it normal to get jitters?"

"Is that Polymerization?" his companion asked, straining to see the text. That was odd. The balcony was brilliant under the comet light, the kingdom glowed, and he could see light jumping off the cove in celebration, punctuated by fire flashes from his newest heroes. To prove their own commitment to him and their fight, they had the Magician Brron cast a new spell for them, one he could easily activate by card. They called it "fusion," a union of their own.

"You heard already?" Jaden chuckled. He handed it over to his friend, who held it close to his face, letting it catch in the light.

"There's something weird about it," he commented. His frown cut between them, "And you."

Jaden pouted, letting his back curve over the railing. "Am I not allowed to excited by this? By her?"

"By who?" Now the duelist was just playing dumb, Jaden was sure. There weren't that many women in his life, even including his mother. But his friend was oddly focused on him, holding Polymerization away from him like a disease.

"Do you want to hear me say it?" Jaden offered, enthusiasm fading. "You don't seem very happy about it."

"Happy about it?" he repeated. He advanced, hands out. They lingered just above Jaden's red garb, almost scared to touch him. "Why would I be happy about what happened?"

The words cut deep. Jaden whirled from him, knocking his linger hands right away. He felt his eyes burn with fury, and the night became sharp and defined. The other gasped, but held his ground, face wide and vulnerable. "Your eyes!"

"Why shouldn't I be happy?" Jaden snapped. "This is the best decision I've ever made! Don't tell me I'm too good for it like the rest!"

His friend's hands shot up. Ruby Carbuncle appeared on his shoulder, mewling in warning. "Whoa, whoa there Jay. Calm down."

Jaden paused. "Jay?"

The other frowned. He lowered his hands to his hair, scratching his scalp for answers. His Spirit kept a close eye on the golden-eyed boy, growling at every breath. Jaden's shoulders were slabs of stone, and his mouth was set in a tight line.

"What's my name?" the foreigner asked.

Jaden straightened, keeping his movements slow. "Why are you asking me that?"

"Do you known yours?" he continued, crossing his arms.

"Of course," Jaden huffed. "I'm—"

The name wouldn't come out. Fear scraped his heart like ice, and he found himself calling out for his companions, unable to form their names, their identities, or their sacrifices. Nothing but a feeling was left of them. If only he knew a syllable, the first sounds of their names, anything at all.

His name was snatched away by the breeze and tossed over the balcony edge, where the kingdom was dissolving into a dark forest and stale lake, full of orange candles. The comet above was swallowed by the night, and he saw millions of stars for the first time in his life. Fear seized him. The world was fading to him, forming shadows upon shadows, with only fragments of windows and mirrors for escape.

Hands were on his arm, and he shook them off, failed, and felt his knees abandon him. A small brown winged creature fluttered beside his head, and his guardian was nowhere to be found. He fought against the pressing unconsciousness for as long as he could, and then succumbed.

Jesse stumbled to catch Jaden as he slumped. The boy was breathing like he'd run a marathon, and his face was paler than the white balcony ledge. Ruby continued to mewl, warning Jesse over and over again that the darkness was back, that Jaden was in trouble and so was he. She curled around Jesse's neck and refused to touch the Slifer.

Winged Kuriboh took her place, fluttering nervously around his fainted master. His wings drooped in exhaustion, and Jesse wondered how long he had fought to appear. The spirit had materialized as soon as the gold leaked from Jaden's eyes, but he looked too tired to stay long.

Jesse did his best to soothe the duel spirit, and then carried Jaden into the bedroom over his back. He loaded the Slifer onto his bed and wiped the hair from his face, staring into his hunched brow. As Jesse stood over him, contemplating what to do next, there was a knock on his door.

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**So how was that? Are the vague events that happened before this chapter a little clearer now? I hope so. Please let me know if there's any confusion so I can clear it up in the follow chapters, and get ready for a fast ride!**

**Please let me know about my:  
**

**1) Pronouns. Were any of the "he's" unclear? I need to work on that.  
**

**2) Character. I'm a little rusty to GX, but I think I'm doing pretty well so far. I rewatched the second half of the third season and the entire fourth, so it should be ok.  
**

**Thanks for reading as always and please review!  
**


	3. Misremember Me

**Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh! GX.  
**

**My new writing system (AKA write 500 words per day) works really well! The only problem is that I frequently delete what I have to rewrite it in a better way. But I still have this out with only 10 days between updates, so I'm counting it as a success! Woohoo!  
**

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**Chapter 2: Misremember Me  
**

**Alexis' POV**

The walk to the boy's Blue Dorm lost its luster fast. I'd given up on my shoes five minutes in, and now they clunked in my right hand, loud and painful. They were the weapons I chose to wield against Jesse's door, and they cracked like gunshots against it. The pair would have to be deaf to miss it, or incredibly stupid to ignore it.

It opened a crack, but before I could push my way in Jesse grabbed my hand. I was inside the room before I could gasp, and Jesse had the door closed and his fingers shushing before I could speak. There was nothing intimidating about him; he was stuck in frumpy pajamas and already apologetic, but I stayed quiet all the same.

I crossed my arms. He pointed towards his bed, jammed in the corner of the room against the wall. Jaden was dumped over the covers. I edged closer to him, feeling my face thaw as his came into light. His eyes looked bruised and beaten in their dreams, his skin pale and tight in the depths of nightmares. A muscle twitched from his mouth down to his fingers, which grasped at vapor above the bedspread. The blue sheets bleached his colors and left him a ghost of himself, lost somewhere in the confines of his mind.

Shivers captured him, and raised my hand to stroke them away. But Jesse caught me, shook his head, and gestured towards the open balcony doors. The pleading in his eyes kept me still, and I dragged myself away from Jaden's bedside, the promise of information enticing. Jesse closed the balcony windows behind us and nearly exploded with a sigh.

"Sorry Alexis," he said. "Jay just fell asleep, and well, you can tell he needs it. So what can I do for you?"

He pulled his hands through his hair and walked to the railing, keeping his head cocked upwards. I spared a glance too, and saw a few stray stars peek down at us.

"I heard you two on the roof," I said.

He froze mid-stretch. We shared uneasy glances, sizing the other up. "How much did you hear?"

"Jaden thinks he killed Zane," I hedged. "And Ruby knows there's something wrong with him."

Jesse unhinged to put his hands to his face and groan, kneading the long night away. "Well, crap. Nothing's really going as I hoped."

"What?" I snapped. "You didn't want us to find about it?"

"No, not at all!" Jesse insisted, waving his hands in surrender. "I wanted him to talk to you himself! I can only handle so much. You guys know him a lot better than I do."

I returned his personal space and leaned against the railing, facing the room. I could see the shadow of Jaden's silhouette on the bed, his back to me. I bit my lip. "I'm not really sure about that anymore."

I could feel Jesse's gaze on my cheek. "Why do you say that? This isn't because of this Zane guy is it?"

"No." Jaden shifted in his sleep, sending locks of hair into his face. My fingers ached at my sides. "I don't think he meant it. Jaden's got the best and worse hero complex I've ever seen. I came here to make sure he stops blaming himself."

Jesse looked away, and I took up his mantle, tearing into him with my eyes. He was angled away from the lake, from the candles, the stars, and me. He was open only to Jaden, who stole his attention without any effort at all. The night grew deeper and colder between us, and I saw him working through his words with care.

"Alexis," he began. "I don't really know much about this Zane guy."

I could tell him anything he wanted. Zane wasn't much of a talker, but I had listened to every flicker in his face, every motion of his hand or quirk in his lips. My brother brought home stories of him long before I came to the island. I knew him as one of the smartest duelists left, one who relied on strategy rather than luck, and who loved his family only in secret, who treated me with unparalleled kindness until his fall.

"He used to be our friend," I answered. "He fell into the underground dueling arena after graduating, and he got himself addicted to power. The shock collars are part of those types of duels. Jaden told the Chancellor that Zane knew his heart was going bad, and that he wanted to die fighting the ultimate opponent. Jaden gave him one of the best duels of his life when Zane graduated, and so he kidnapped Syrus and myself to make Jaden duel his best. I don't think we were in any real danger"—I fingered the light marks around my Bio-Bands—"but the duel was very real to Zane. He needed Jaden to fight him like he's fought every villain that's come here."

"Villains?" Jesse prompted. He shifted his weight on his heels. "Has Jaden acted… odd around any of them before?"

He tried to keep his face neutral, but was betrayed by worry lines around his eyes. I felt my own begin to form, and hugged myself to keep warm. "In our second year, a cult called The Light came to our school. They spread their brainwashing through duels, and I was one of the victims. Jaden was the only one who lost and wasn't brainwashed. He disappeared into Neo Space after the duel, and came back with new monsters."

Jesse's frown deepened. "The Light? I think I've heard of that somewhere…"

"They were a pretty active cult." I shrugged. "But why do you want to know?"

Jesse bit the inside of his cheek, dimpling his face. "Something really weird just happened with Jaden. I'm not sure what to make of it, and hoped you could help."

I leaned into the railing, keeping my movements slow. This was the information I'd been waiting for. The bubble of glee in my chest shoved aside any guilt for abusing Jesse's trust. "Weird how?"

He took his time with the answer, mulling over the words. "Has Jaden ever had… memory problems before?"

"Memory problems?" I repeated.

Jesse hesitated, took a long look at the prone figure in his bed, and then unloaded on me. He explained his concern that Jaden forgotten what happened with Zane, about his childhood, and had almost been a different person on his balcony. Jaden called it misremembering, but Jesse was entirely certain there was something else going on. He gestured empathetically to his shoulder where Ruby must have been, explaining the connection he and Jaden shared with Duel Spirits.

"Jaden is convinced," Jesse said, puncturing his words with his hands, "that he summoned a real monster. He says he can't remember what it was, but when I got out of the bathroom, he was out on the balcony looking at Polymerization. He was acting like a completely different person, but he still knew me. Just… differently."

"What do you mean?" I pressed.

"He was more formal and his mood was off," Jesse listed. "He mentioned a woman, and he was really excited about something, but he had no idea what my name was, or even what his was. It's like he thought we were different people."

The transfer's face was a question, riddled with hard lines and empty answers. He folded and unfolded his arms, rocked on his heels, and sucked at the lining of his cheeks. Nervous energy vibrated between us, sending chills down my exposed arms.

We both knew something the other didn't. I had first hand experience with what Jesse was describing from my second year, when the Light had poisoned my mind. I knew I was dueling my friends, was fighting against Jaden and all I believed in, but he warped into my enemy, a person with a similar face and no importance. What Jesse knew I couldn't even guess, and judging by his fidgets and cautious words, I doubt he had it figured out yet either.

"Do you think he was possessed?" I whispered.

The nod was immediate. His chin jutted out like he wanted to speak, but then he drew back, shaking his head. "He passed out when I tried to question him. I'm not sure what to do."

I wasn't either. Jaden had been the mover and shaker over the years. There was little planning involved in his actions, just heart and drive that forced him through every obstacle. When there was trouble brewing, he'd charge in headfirst grinning, looking for opportunities in every duelist he faced.

"Oh," I said, and laughed at the simplicity of it all. "Of course. WWJD?"

"'cuse me?" Jesse replied, his accent bursting out. "Do you mean we should get a priest to exorcise him?"

I shook my head and smiled. "No, sorry. I just had an epiphany. What would Jaden do? What's his go-to solution for every problem we have?"

Jesse crossed his arms and folded his expression. "Normally I'm all for a duel. But this could be really dangerous Alexis. He's not himself."

"That's why this needs to happen," I countered, standing straight. "I owe him. First thing tomorrow morning, I'm going to challenge him to a duel. I won't take no for an answer."

Jesse was quiet again, but his gaze was soft. A sly smile shadowed his lips and he looked away, towards the prone figure on his bed. "Jay's a lucky guy to have a friend like you watching out for him."

It was moments like these that made me realize Jaden Yuki and Jesse Anderson were not the same person. I pushed him, he nudged back with a snicker, and we both made our way back into the room, relieved to have a game plan. Without having to speak, he bid me goodnight and I left to burn my dress. It would be too easy to love him behind closed doors, with his gentle charm and blunt empathy. He was too different from Jaden, who could blaze so hot he burned all of those around him.

But I didn't want to think about that.

* * *

**Third Person POV**

He watched this dream from a distance because he was not sure who he was, or if he belonged here at all. Dressed in red, but in different clothing at every blink, he had no way to see himself. So instead he focused on the two worlds playing out before him and puzzled at their wonders.

To his right, two young children were playing near the ocean. The sky was pastel and the waves reflected their laughter. He wasn't certain how he knew this—but the purple haired one was only dressed like a boy. She had been the other's closest friend since birth, and he loved her the way only children could. He was royal where she was plain, but they shared enthusiasm and warmth all the same.

To his left, the same boy sat doodling at a table. His clothing was modern, but simple for his age, and he hummed over his crayons and doodles. Someone was moving downstairs, and the lovely aroma of shrimp wafted through the vents. Over the boy's shoulder was not his mother, father, or sibling, but a demonic creature with two wings. Its clawed hands rested over the boys slims shoulders, and there was fear in its dual colored eyes. He wanted to call this creature a female too, but could not say for certain.

He knew he should not be seeing these things, should not be making connections between the boys and their playmates. He knew that he wasn't quite either of these children, but he might be them both. He knew the two-toned brown hair that they wore rested atop his own head, and that the winged companion loved the boy in the way the boy loved her. He did not know what way this was anymore.

He did not know if he preferred this dream to the others he had nowadays. Confusion plagued these warm half-memories, but fear swarmed the other. He knew who he was in the darkness of his heart, and was a ghost in his swimming mind.

There was a stranger behind his eyes. Fragments of memories hung between them like mirrors, hanging suspended in time or shattering to the shadowed floor. While he was chained, screaming without the aid of his mouth, the man took the shape of his body, gained the hue of his skin, and stared down at him with contemptuous golden eyes.

He was not sure who this was either. Sometimes, he thought it was himself—who he really was or even who he was supposed to be. But then the mirrors shook until they screamed, and he curled into himself tighter until the pain blurred. He knew he would wake up someday, would roll over and see someone there beside him, shaking him into safety. Sometimes he knew her name, others he didn't.

It came and went at a fancy, flitting through the lips of his tormentor, who did nothing but stand and speak, who could tear him apart with a single word. But he was not in the pit tonight; he was floating somewhere above it or maybe inside it, stuck in one of his reflections.

Yubel. That was the name. He tasted it, committed it to memory, and sighed as it blew away in the summer wind. There was no helping forgetfulness, and he supposed he was old enough to excuse it. Yubel. Yubel.

He was pretty sure she was dead tonight.

* * *

**Alexis and Jesse would make really good friends, I think. **If Alexis would give him a chance anyway. But after rewatching Gx Season 3 and 4 twice, I realized how sly Jesse is underneath all that fluffy hair. He makes me want to pinch his cheeks.

**Regardless, things I could use feedback on are:  
**

**1) Characterization (especially Alexis. She's hard to get a read on)  
**

**2) Plot. Please tell me what you think happened so far so I know what needs to be clarified as the story progresses. It really helps me out!  
**

Thankfully, pronouns aren't an issue in this chapter. I've got "he and I" for the first block, and then the second block is supposed to be confusing. So woohoo again!

Thank you for sticking with this story guys. Every review helps me out!**  
**


	4. Trigger

**Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh! GX.  
**

**Took a week off to catch up with University work and completely forgot about my update schedule. Sorry guys!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Trigger  
**

**Third Person POV**

Jaden paced around the room, staring at Polymerization. Jesse watched him from the couch, wiping off the remnants of his shower with the towel Jaden had tossed there an hour before. He wasn't sure how to break the silence Jaden was imposing on them, or the blank gaze he had on the card. Explaining what had happened had been easier than the transfer anticipated; Jaden had roused from his slumber rumpled and looking for answers, and Jesse's explanation fit right into his own fears. But in the end, Jesse wasn't sure telling Jaden about the golden eyed him was the best decision.

Jaden came to a halt, snapping his head towards Jesse, who jumped. "I was just looking at Polymerization?"

"Not when it happened," he countered. "You were pretty mad when your eyes changed color."

"But this triggered it?" he pressed. Jesse nodded, anxious at the fever in his friend's eyes. "Then I should be able to make it happen again, right? Was I doing anything else?"

Jesse saw the balcony again, the candle lights playing off Jaden's private smile, the turn of his head in welcome, the drums of excitement and jitters that belonged to an anxious groom instead of a murder suspect. He remembered the windfall in Jaden's eyes as the gold pierced through them, the way his hand clawed at the night as he fell. His own trembled in his lap at the thought of it happening again.

"This isn't a good idea," Jesse leveled. He stood and closed the space between them with his arms, locking his hands around Jaden's shoulders. "There have got to be other ways to get answers."

Jaden's expression was almost patronized. "Alexis is coming to duel me, Jesse. We don't have a lot of time to figure this out."

"You're not going to hurt her. Zane was attacking your friends, Jaden. You didn't just go after him without cause."

"I can't take that risk," he replied. His scars pulsed under the hem of his jacket, betraying his pounding heart. The duel had to happen, he knew that. Alexis was too smart to just challenge him in a way he could decline. The absence of her as the day dragged on reminded him of his freshman year, when he sat frustrated as he tried to fill out the dueling form against Zane. He scratched at the Bio-Bands, hating the position he was suddenly in because of them—because of him.

He needed to move, to vent his frustration in his steps, but Jesse kept him firm. He lips did not move. His eyes did not waver. Jaden saw himself imprisoned, upside down and could not tear himself free. He was looked different in his friend's eyes, tiny and pale, off-kilter and scared. Jesse kept his gaze blistering; he was unafraid to hurt Jaden. He knew better than to believe that Jaden was fragile. No one else had dared look at him like this in those eternal three days of death, candlelight, and closed doors.

He was immediately taken with the young man and his colorful beasts. The King was disapproving of the foreigner already, offended by his casual attitude and wild appearance. But he knew the King was getting old and was too stuck in his ways. Their world was changing around them daily. He sauntered down the path of the throne room to take the young man's hand, ignoring the coughs of his father on his throne. Destiny was calling him as loudly as it had when he took her hand by the ocean, felt the scales on his own palms.

The foreigner surprised him with a firm clasp on the shoulders and a grin that could rival the comet. "It's an honor to meet'cha, Prince. I'm—"

"Jaden?" Jesse asked. He let go, and Jaden realized he was swaying in place. There was another face over Jesse's, one that he couldn't see, but pierced his chest with sorrow. He covered the feeling and clutched it, trying to bring it forward again. It fled when he drew close, leaving a hollow cavity in its wake.

"What is it?" Jesse insisted. His hands hovered uncertainly in front of him. Jaden shook his head, sucking in a lungful of air.

"It's gone," he said. The emptiness weighed him down, and he let himself thump to the ground. His head was too heavy to hold, so he leaned against his knees and closed his eyes. "I'm forgetting someone."

"Someone?" Jesse parroted. He swept around to Jaden's left by habit, twisting a smile on Jaden's face. Now they only needed a bed of stars above them, and he'd be confessing to murder all over again. "Are you 'misremembering' them? What does that mean?"

"That I…" Words had never been his forte. He gestured vaguely towards his chest and deck in response, stumbling over vowels. "It's not that I… I don't forget exactly… I sorta… I _know_ what happened, and I know that I know… but I just keep… remembering things differently. Like… like what you tried to describe on the balcony. I misremember you."

"Misremember me?" Jesse repeated, echoed. He shifted his leg out and tilted his head back. "How? Unless you've been to Norway, we haven't met before this year."

Jaden made up for all the different kinds of stupid Jesse wasn't calling him. He felt embarrassment in his cheeks and continued fumbling. "I know we haven't met. I mean—it's not like I'm remembering you… or even really remembering I guess. It's just like… I don't even know. I can't remember."

He snapped his mouth shut and went rigid in defeat. He could feel Jesse sizing him up and felt unusually like Syrus, wanting to fidget with his clothes or hide his face behind his bangs. It was almost worse that Jesse wasn't judging him for this, that he was at his side and contemplative, taking every crazy word that came from his mouth with a grain of salt.

For the first time in his life, Jaden prayed to disappear.

"I think we should start here," Jesse said. Jaden peeked out from behind his knees. "You do know what's going on if you can name it, right? This 'misremembering' thing is probably the key to figure out what's going on. Is it getting worse?"

He didn't even have to answer the question.

"When did it start happening?" Jesse continued.

Jaden opened his mouth to claim Zane was when it really started, but then felt it close again, open and shut. He frowned and looked down at his cards, sensing the truth of it all had come along much sooner. Jaden stared at them, watched the fade to white in his mind's eye, and knew the answer with a jolt to his heart. "The Light of Ruin."

"Alexis didn't call it that," Jesse commented. "What is that exactly?"

"She probably didn't know its full name. It was sorta a sensitive topic with my friend Aster Phoenix for a while. So I kept my mouth shut," Jaden replied. "The Light of Ruin is an evil… entity I guess. The Neospacians think it exists at the edge of the Universe, and it spreads its influence between all worlds—so I guess the Spirit World and ours. It wants to destroy the universe—that's the only way to keep things pure. It's totally crazy and can possess anyone who can't stand up to it."

"Except you," Jesse corrected.

"I guess," he assured. "But I couldn't see my cards. Everyone else could see them just fine, but they were just blank slates to me. I knew they were there, but I couldn't see them for what they were"—Jaden stood, alarmed—"That's what I mean when I say misremember. That feeling. I know the cards are there, but I'm seeing something else where they should be."

"But you defeated the Light," Jesse soothed, also standing. "So whatever it did to trigger this, you're not going crazy or brainwashed."

Jaden looked at his friend, then through him, beyond him, to the duel with Aster Phoenix, with Chazz, and with Alexis. "Why didn't it get me though? I mean—it _tried_. I felt it, even after the Neospacians saved me. It just… it couldn't."

He wracked his mind for the nagging voice that had plagued him until his friends were free, tormenting him that he needed discipline and focus if he was to protect them, pointing out his flaws, where he would always fail. It was impossible to find in the cacophony of doubts that told him the same thing.

"Stubborn determination?" Jesse offered with a smile. Jaden couldn't return it.

"I have to talk to Alexis. She was possessed, and she broke out in the end," he said. He made for the doorknob and then paled. "I have to duel Alexis."

Ruby appeared on Jesse's shoulder as he scratched his chin. "I'm with you on this one, Jay. I don't think you should duel , but not because you'll hurt her. You won't. But you're both pretty shook up from all of this. I think you should try to prolong that as much as possible."

"I'll hide under your bed," Jaden said seriously. "She'll never find me."

They stared at each other for a beat, then burst into laughter at the sheer stupidity of it all, recognizing with helpless humor how utterly screwed they were. They'd have better luck stopping a train with a pebble then slowing Alexis down.

"Or maybe," Jesse guffawed, "you could hang out with Chazz. She'll never even dream of going near him!"

Jaden covered his mouth with his hands, trying to stop the smile from splitting his unprepared face. "Yeah, expect—how do we keep him away from her?"

The pair was leaning on each other, laughing themselves half-insane before they noticed the door had been opened, and Alexis was staring at them with crossed arms. The laughter died out.

* * *

**Alexis POV**

Seeing Jaden leaning on Jesse with some life in his eyes almost made up for it all. For waking up and remembering Zane was dead, for spending an hour filling out a request to duel, and then another convincing Crowler to push my request through, for remembering that Jaden tried to do the same thing to Zane the first year, and then to sitting in my dorm, staring at my cards and wondering if I had a chance in hell to beat him if things got bad. If they hadn't been laughing about ways to avoid me, I might have forgiven them for my hellish morning while they joked and had fun.

Yes, I knew that wasn't fair. But I didn't particularly care. Jesse smiled sheepishly as Jaden retreated into himself. I armed them both with duel disks, grabbed them by the collar, and stole them from the room. I wasn't in the mood for talking, and Jaden knew why I was there anyway. There was no point in showing off how pissed I was at them. They made increasingly loud noises of protest, staring with complaints like, "Ouch!" and moving onto, "I still don't think this is a good idea, Alexis."

I dropped Jesse when he said that and instead took Jaden by the wrist. He flinched when I squeezed his scars, but I refused to take his hand instead. A small crowd of Blues formed behind us as more students poked their heads out of their dorms to hear the noise. A girl in the dorm wasn't all too uncommon, but seeing _The_ Slifer Slacker being dragged outside to duel with their Queenwas. These weren't the ideal conditions for the confrontation I wanted, but I would take whatever I could get. At least the extra amount of people watching would keep Jaden from backing down.

I released him once we made it outside and stomped the proper distance away to challenge him. When I turned, Jaden wasn't looking at me. He was massaging the scarred flesh around his Bio-Band, and then would turn to itch at the mess under his Duel Disk. Unexpected pity prickled my eyes, but I forced it away with a breath and shouted my intentions to the crowd.

"Jaden Yuki, I challenge you to a duel. Do you accept?" All formalities of course. We both knew I had a formal request ready the moment he refused, which would force him to duel or risk him being suspended.

"Alexis," he tried, holding his arms out to me. The scars were livid against his tanned skin. His eyes darted around the crowd, picking out Jesse on the frontlines. Jesse held up a card—Jaden's card—Polymerization. They shared hard glances, and Jesse put his hand on his Duel disk before looking at me. Though pale, the message was clear: he'd intervene if necessary.

"Do. You. Accept?" I demanded, shoving my deck in place.

Jaden lowered his arms and removed his deck from his belt. The sight of Polymerization in Jesse's hands seemed to steady him, though it left a pit in my stomach. Jaden was going to duel me handicapped? Was he really that afraid of challenging me—of hurting me?

My fists were shaking. Polymerization used to be the key card in Jaden's deck. It still is, but now he also has his Neospacians to battle with. This duel was not going to be easy, but I was hell-bent on making it inevitable. Jaden only ever understood problems through dueling, and it was the only way I knew how to approach him.

"I accept!" Jaden replied, sliding his deck in place. We squared off against each other, raising our duel disks to eye level. Brown against hazel. Friend against friend. Foes on the field. The decks shuffled below our fingers and I counted out the top five cards, watching him do the same. His mouth was working as the students grew excited, speaking to his unseen companions.

We both pinched the top five cards. His fingers shook with a hint of betrayal and fear. Mine were angry and concerned, hurt that he let things get this far, worried for his life and my own. This had to happen. He had to duel me. I had to beat him—to help him.

"Duel!" We drew.

Nothing happened. As Jaden blew all of his tension out his mouth, I blinked and looked down at the duel disk. The life points refused to register or sync, even when I fiddled with the manual controls. The Bio-Band glowed faintly in response, rejecting synchronization to the duel grid, and then sparked. Jaden hissed as his own Bio-Band malfunctioned, showering his jacket with blue electricity.

"Turn it off!" he called to me, raising his duel disk. The second the red light winked out, the Bio-Band calmed down, returning to its usual pale gray color. I dragged my hand over to mine, slammed the off button, and jerked my deck free of its holster. There must have been something murderous on my face, because Jesse was quick to call attention to himself instead.

"The Bio-Bands might be malfunctioned from the duel with Zane," he called, waving like a moron. "Anyone want to duel me to check if ours work?"

The students were soon locked into combat with one another, testing out their Bio-Bands to preserve their place at the Obelisk Blue Dorms. Attention drifted away from us as Jesse worked his way through his opponents, commanding us to talk with his eyes. The transfer kept his tone light and lively before he disappeared into the crowd of students.

My shoulders were impossibly hard as Jaden made his way to me, playing with the hem of his jacket."Sorry about the duel," he began.

"No you're not," I snapped, refusing to look at him. The malfunction felt personal. "Let's just go talk to the Chancellor and get these things fixed. Then we'll duel."

"Alexis," he tried. I turned my back on him and marched towards the building. I could hear his footsteps behind me, then feel his hand on my shoulder, and see his face as he blocked my way. Surprised, I stopped and let my guard down, realizing how close his face was to mine. Jaden blinked and looked around us uncertainly, noting a few wayward glances, before lowering his hand to my bicep and tugging me down a path away from the school, towards the ocean. "I need to talk to you first."

"Now you want to talk?" I repeated. "Why? Because I overheard you and you have no other choice?"

"No I—"

"Jaden." I jerked out of his grasp and stopped at the lip of the forest. "Last night, I went to Zane's funeral with Syrus. We were alone. His only brother was dead because of a _heart failure_ and his best friend was nowhere to be found."

Jaden stopped looking at me. "I—"

"And Zane was my friend at Duel Academy until he went underground. We met every night at the lighthouse to talk about our problems, and he listened. He was my brother's best friend since the first day they met. Atticus looked up to Zane the same way I look up to you. But you weren't there."

My voice was low, at the mercy of the rustling leaves and cries of combat. Every word reached him like stone on his back, silently pressing him into the earth. His knees were shaking, and he would not look at me. At least he was silent now.

"Syrus worked up the courage to confront you on the plane ride back," I continued. "He wanted you to be honest with him about what happened; he wanted both of you to understand where each other is coming from. Syrus knows how you feel about what happened to Zane, and your distance is hurting him even more than the loss of his brother."

He was so low the only part of his face I could see was his lip. He was biting it, chocking back whatever he wanted to say in his own defense. His hair had grown long over his eyes and nose, hiding whatever expression he had. My itchy hands persisted from last night, remembering his rumpled form on the bed. At least he was listening now.

"I know you just want to protect us," I whispered. He looked up, brown eyes focusing on my lips rather than eyes. It was a start. "That's all you ever do. You keep us safe, you're the sun we all depend on. So do you think you can keep us out of the loop? Jaden, by hiding whatever it is that's wrong, you're making things so much worse. You can't protect us from yourself, from whatever's hurting you, alone. We need you to trust us as much as we trust you."

My name. That was all he said in response.

"Whatever you tell me, you had better tell everyone else, too. I'll be there, Jesse will be there, and you can bet the rest of them will be. But I still want to duel you. If you really did somehow summon a real monster, we've got to figure out how and why." I looked dead into his hesitating eyes. "Okay?"

He nodded. "Okay."

Our PDAs went off.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry again about this taking so long. Hope you enjoy, and I hope that you're ready for some action. Because the next chapter kickstarts the rest of the story. -cheers-**


	5. The Nature of Tragedy

**Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh! GX.  
**

**Exam time! So what do I do? Study, work on final projects, and cry in a corner? Heck no, I write a new chapter and try not to go insane! :D**

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**Chapter 4: The Nature of Tragedy  
**

**Alexis' POV**

_Dear Ms. Rhodes and Mr. Yuki,_

_It has come to my attention that your BioBands are malfunctioning. Please report to the Chancellor's Office and wait for instruction. If he cannot remedy the problem, I will send for Axel to bring you to my lab for repair. Do not waste time, as it is a factor in the database for your standing in this Academy. _

_-Professor Viper_

I reread the message to avoid looking at Jaden. He was sitting beside me, fiddling with the damaged BioBand on his wrist as the sunlight wasted away. Chancellor Shepherd had spent hours following the instructions that Viper had given him, but had gotten nothing but the occasional spark. The BioBands refused to even unlatch from our wrists and instead clung stubbornly to the burnt flesh around them.

It was almost funny how lucky Jaden was. He hadn't said much since we'd arrived, retreating into himself once Shepherd looked at him with concern. Now that the Chancellor had gone to contact Axel, we were alone and he was more interested in something broken than the friend beside him. I stewed in sulk as the sun continued to set.

"Alexis?" he said. His head was angled down, but his hands had gone still around his wrist. There was thought I could not fathom in his shadowed frown.

"What?"

Jaden turned to look at me, and I was stunned by the depth of his eyes. He lifted his hands and gently cupped mine, bringing them into his lap. His fingers ghosted over the marks of electricity, sparking heat in my cheeks. "I'm sorry."

I was at a loss for words.

Jaden continued, sighing into my light scars. "You're right, we're friends. I'm just not used to having to rely on you guys, you know? I mean—I do. I really do. You're more important to me than… no, I think you know."

He laughed, but it was low-pitched. His hands stopped and fell around my skin, but he was still smiling. "I told Jesse before I told you guys because he didn't know Zane. It was easier to talk when I didn't have to look at his friend or brother. I didn't mean to make you mad, but I can't take it back."

Seeing Jaden serious stilled me and tore the blush from my cheeks. I moved my hands up so that they took his, rough from dueling and mischief. "You're right. You can't take it back."

He cringed. I gripped his hands harder.

"I don't want you to," I continued. "Just don't make the same mistake twice. The Jaden I know is pretty good at messing up, but even better at making things right."

He was touched. "The Alexis I know is awesome. Thanks."

I smiled. We were still holding hands, pouring over each other's scars and whispering when Chancellor and Axel walked in. Shepherd raised his eyebrows and beamed at us, but said nothing when we disengaged and rose to face the transfer. Jaden's arms were crossed, but he was less tense around the shoulders.

"Come on," was all Axel said.

Jaden made a joke about leaving him hanging, Axel ignored him politely, and I had the distinct impression that I had missed something. Before I could decide if it was worth questioning, Axel was out the door and Jaden was pulling me forward.

"Where is Professor Viper's lab anyway?" he asked. I slid out of his grip and set my own pace, rubbing where he had touched me.

"Out in the woods," Axel replied. He kept his sentences short. "There's an old animal facility there. No other place has enough equipment."

That was all he said for the rest of the journey. Jaden tried prompting him to speak for the first ten minutes, and then got the hint to shut up. He turned to me instead and began whispering what had happened between them, about the duel that almost had Syrus dumped into the ocean. My mouth twisted as I listened, reevaluating the quiet transfer that led the way.

Axel had always been the most mysterious of the boys. It was true that Jim was the strangest with his missing eye and pet crocodile, Adrian the elitist, and Jesse the kindest, but Axel had left a lacking impression on the student body. In spite of being one of the few African-American students on campus, he had the tendency to disappear in the crowd.

"How long have you been Viper's lackey?" I asked, cutting Jaden off. He looked mortified.

If Axel was surprised, he did not show it. "Viper has been my teacher for a long time, but I am not his lackey. What I did to test the BioBands was my own decision."

I smelled a lie. "So you just naturally like to make people believe their friends are in danger?"

Axel looked at me then. "I understand that you just lost someone. Do not confuse me with Zane Trusdale."

I flushed and made to retort, but Jaden stopped me with a quick wave of his hands. We spent the rest of the trip in huffy silence. The animal facility came into view once my blistered feet had gone numb. Decrepit and ancient, throngs of ivy clung to the crumbling brick like parasites. The night drained any color from the building, leaving it large, decaying, and oppressive. A shudder ran through the group, and I moved a step closer to Jaden. There was something of the abandoned dorm in this place.

Axel rubbed his arms and turned back. He opened his mouth, glared, and then shook his head, gesturing us forward. The keypad next to the rusty door looked worse for wear, but glowed when Axel entered the entry code. Groaning, the doors dragged open into more darkness, silent and oppressive. Jaden whistled.

"Looks like a haunted house instead of a machine room," he chuckled. His hands were shaking.

Axel grunted. "Viper is one man. There is only so much he can fix."

The transfer disappeared into the building without another word, leaving Jaden and I alone on the outside. I moved forward, but Jaden caught me, frowning into the darkness. His head tilted to the side, listening intently to something unheard, and I realized Winged Kuriboh must be talking to him. Jaden shifted his weight and let me go, whispering, "Remember when you tried to stop Syrus, Chumley, and I from entering the abandoned dorm first year?"

"I was thinking the same thing."

He smiled. "Let's stay together this time."

He reached out and I accepted his touch. With one last breath, we marched hand and hand into Viper's den. Our eyes were slow to adjust to the darkness, guided only by Axel's combat boots against the dirt floor. Every once in a while, the transfer would swipe the grimy walls with his hand, in search of a switch. When he failed to find one, he drew a flashlight from his belt and led on, face grim. "Viper must have redirected the power."

Jaden's hand was growing tight around mine. "Hey, Axel, what kind of guy is Viper?"

"What do you mean?"

We continued for several hushed feet as Jaden fished for an answer. Dust lined the entire hall, the air, and diluted our thoughts. I coughed.

"Something feels weird here," Jaden offered. "This is gonna sound crazy, but hey, Duel Academy is like that. I can see duel spirits, and Winged Kuriboh does not like it here."

Axel snorted, but made no comment to disprove Jaden. I glared at the back of his head and supplied, "Trust me, we've had all sorts of strange things happen here. Jaden's ability is tame in comparison to shadow games and evil cults."

"I am aware of what has happened here," Axel replied. He came to a quick halt. Jaden and I blinked and nearly collided with him. The transfer flashed his light ahead, showing another large door at the end of the corridor. Mesh and metal had been chewed away, leaving gaping holes in its structure. I grabbed Jaden tighter this time.

"What happened here?" I demanded.

Axel reached for a pad on the wall and fiddled with it. Spot lights came on in the room ahead, illuminating an overgrown dome forest. Trees, brush, and vines climbed the Plexiglas walls and broke through, raining dirt overhead constantly. "I already said. This used to be an animal testing facility. Your spirit is probably reacting to the animals inside."

"This can't be safe," I complained. Jaden looked around in curious agreement, inspecting the wildlife.

Axel swept his flashlight to the right, illuminating a domed walkway. I felt my apprehension wilt, but remained frowning. We made our way to the path, opened the well-oiled doors, and ascended to the lifted bridge. The path above the forest was clean on the inside, but the outside was so thickly coated with leaves and dirt it was impossible to see outside. We were guided by the filthy light filtering through and the glowing strips along our path. Our footsteps echoed far into the distance, preceding us.

Jaden's grip was growing more and more slack the further in we moved. His lips were tight and eyes were distant, head tilted. Kuriboh was obviously chattering a mile in a minute, sent into overdrive by all the dangerous wildlife underneath us. It was the first time I did not feel a twinge of jealousy about his ability. No doubt Chazz and Jesse would have it even worse with their deck full of enthusiastic partners.

Jaden leaned closer, his voice strained. "Something's up."

The fact that I couldn't use my duel disk became ominously clear. We distanced ourselves from the transfer, staying a good fifteen feet behind when the end of the walkway became clear. The platform did not descend to the ground as it had in the front, instead it opened into two routes on the left and right that encircled the dome with a single, closed gate in the center. The metal was solid and polished, gleaming against its dirty surroundings.

"Viper's up here," Axel explained. He did not mention the equipment. I stepped in front of Jaden, who was paling. His brown eyes were fixed on something beyond that door; his hand was nearly limp in mine.

Axel entered the last code and the bridge shook. The door heaved upwards, its spikes teeth in the ground. Jaden stepped forward. "Axel."

The transfer turned back, arms crossed. "You are wasting time."

"Probably," he answered. "Does Viper have a duel spirit?"

Axel looked honestly perplexed by the question and uncrossed his expression. "Why do you ask?"

"Umm," Jaden replied. Oh no. "Not to insult your teacher or anything, but there's some bad news up there. Like, duel monster bad news."

He didn't look convinced by his own words, but concern flickered briefly on Axel's face. "I do not believe Viper can see duel spirits. But you should not worry; he is a very powerful duelist. I doubt he is in danger."

The transfer picked up his steps regardless. Jaden and I shared looks before plunging ahead, struggling to keep pace with Axel's wide strides.

"What does Kuriboh feel?" I asked.

"Nothing. Something. I don't know," he replied. Jaden let go of me to wipe his hair back. It was clear Axel was listening by his squared shoulders. "He's not sure what he feels; just that something really weird is up ahead. It could be just some animals, or even the signal from the BioBands, but I don't think so. I can feel something, something familiar. Can't you?"

I stopped myself from reminding him I couldn't hear duel spirits and listened. Faint sounds of electricity, running water, and equipment floated through the walls, in sync with our footsteps. Sounds crept like spiders around us, forcing us to move faster, kicking my heart out of beat. Axel was almost jogging now, assuring, "We'll see soon enough. The room is just ahead."

It came into view before he had finished. There was no door in the archway, just an orange glow that bathed the walls. Axel calmed at the sight as Jaden tensed, but we carried on and crossed inside. The lights came on.

Jaden and I jumped. Axel might have smiled. A deep, stern voice called from the left of the room, "You three are late. The motion sensor lights have been off for some time now. Let this be a lesson for tardiness."

Professor Viper was seated at the head of an enormous console, to the left of a giant, orange tube. Strange plasma floated in the glass like a lava lamp, emitting heat and energy in utter silence. Jaden stepped away from it as Viper laid a proud hand on the container, illuminated by the buzzing machines behind him.

"I didn't know you liked the 70s, Professor," Jaden joked. His eyes were glued to the plasma. Viper's face shadowed in disappointment.

"How sad," he said. "I would have thought Duel Academy's best duelist would recognize what this is."

Jaden made a face between disgust and annoyance. "A lava lamp?"

Viper's laugh was low and heavy. "No, Jaden Yuki. This is a representation of the duel energy of this island. Every time students duel, it creates more plasma and reads its consistency as a result. The more powerful the students' enthusiasm and energy, the more brilliantly it glows. Would you like to see yours?"

"I'm good."

I took a step forward, examining the material. It pulsed and twisted with life. "So this is why the bands glow orange at the end of duels."

Viper turned to me. "Very good observation, Ms. Rhodes. You truly are fitting of your Queen title."

Somehow, it felt like an insult. Axel drifted to the back of the room while we talked, observing the various energy charts posted on the wall. I watched him for funny business out of the corner of my eye, highly aware of Jaden's growing discomfort as he stared down the duel energy.

"So, can you fix our BioBands now?" Jaden asked. With no small effort, he pasted his gaze onto Viper and held out his wrist. The man nodded. I had never seen him smile so often in all the months of classes we shared.

"Of course, just sit down here and we'll see what the problem is."

He offered Jaden his office chair and pulled out a panel from the computer desk. Jaden hesitated, looked towards me, and then took a seat. Viper took his hand without consent and held it down on the scanner. Images of the BioBand appeared on the screen, scanning error reports and broken sections. It beeped and buzzed enough to set my arms alight with goose bumps and drain the dread from Jaden's face.

Viper hummed. "It's a simple enough solution. It seems that your duel with Mr. Trusdale shorted the synchronizing chip. Has he been appropriately punished?"

Jaden's face went white, and I stepped forward, voice flat. "He's dead, Sir."

"Oh," he said. He opened another drawer and pulled out slender, metallic scalpels. Jaden was stone as the Professor operated on the BioBand, flicking through tiny gears with adept hands. "That is the way of life; it can be taken at any given moment. I'm sure you two understand that more, now. It is a good lesson."

Heat rushed through my chest. "With all due respect, Sir, Zane's death was not a life lesson. It was a tragedy."

Viper was not phased. "Zane Trusdale's death was brought on by his lifestyle. There is nothing tragic about destroying your own heart."

I took several steps forward, only to be stopped by Axel's hand on my shoulder. I shook him off and slammed my hand against my chest. "Sir, Zane was a dear friend of mine and Jaden. He was a brother to Syrus and well respected at this school. You can't say that his death means nothing to us."

"I do not mean that," Viper replied. He drew away from Jaden's wrist and flicked the BioBand closed. "I just meant to correct you on the nature of tragedy. Mr. Trusdale was in control of his life and death. Tragedy is when life is stolen without a chance to be fought for."

He stood and clicked a few buttons on the keyboard, restarting the scan. The BioBand displayed green on all fronts. "I had a son, once, Ms. Rhodes. He was killed in a car accident when he was very young. That is tragedy."

His face was neutral as he spoke, but his words tore the argument from me. Jaden looked settled and sympathetic were he sat. The room was quiet down to its shadows once more.

Viper opened another drawer and took out his duel disk. "Let us test if this worked, Mr. Yuki. There is no point in repairing yours as well, Ms. Rhodes, if there are still bugs."

I watched him with sinking regret in my chest. Vanishing into the floor or being mauled by wild animals seemed like a better option than facing the professor. His aloof, strict attitude in class, the stiff way he stood, and the distance he held from the rest of the staff and students made sense. Even his rigorous examination fell into place, and I touched the glowing glass gently. I had misjudged Viper. He was only trying to prepare us for the world.

Jaden stood, rubbing at his wrists. The information didn't sit well in his face either, but the uncertainty did not leave his steps. He shrugged at me and deployed his duel disk, reaching for his deck. There was no hesitation as he walked into the room with his hands in his pockets. Jaden clearly had no doubts facing Viper.

I wasn't sure if I should be insulted or not.

Viper's dueling arena was neat and orderly. The duel station was round and well-defined in the center of the cylindrical room, lined with a few run down machines and worn chairs. Viper shuffled his deck as he waited; unbothered by the bomb he had dropped on us. Axel gravitated towards his side of the arena, and I stood by Jaden.

They deployed their duel disks, Jaden giving an uncertain cheer when his lit and registered points. Viper warned him not to get excited, that there could still be problems with the measurement stage, and a chill crept up my legs. The professor was all too pleased to be dueling a student at dusk, in the outskirts of the island in the middle of an abandoned testing facility. Some of Jaden's apprehension crept back into me in time for Jaden to draw, and then immediately groan.

The duel had started.

He looked at me. "Jesse still has Polymerization."

* * *

**In which Jaden learns continuity is a bitch. **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and are ready for what's coming-because trust me, it's gonna be a wild ride. I really appreciate all of your comments and will take time to reply when exams are over. So thank you very much!

**I do have a question for you.** For those of you who are familiar with my other works, would you like me to wait until this story, Golden, is finished before starting up Without You? I am considering publishing one chapter of Without You for every two chapters in Golden, but have no made an final decisions. Please tell me what your thoughts are on the subject!

Thank you for reading!


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